Essential Skills For Mechanical Engineers

"You (or your thinking) aren't strategic enough." Here are 7 actionable steps to help you address this TODAY: (Prioritize #6 - others can't read your mind) 1. Seek Specific Examples ↳How: Approach the feedback with curiosity rather than defensiveness. Ask your manager or key stakeholders for specific instances where you could have been more strategic. Frame these conversations around seeking advice rather than just feedback. Mentors can also help here. ↳Why: Helps you focus your efforts on the appropriate next step(s). 2. Understand the Business Strategy ↳How: Dive deep into your company's strategy. This can be done through reviewing formal strategy documents, participating actively in strategy meetings, or having one-on-one discussions with key leaders. ↳Why: A deep understanding of the overall strategy will provide context for your actions and decisions. It also signals to others that you are ingesting the necessary inputs. 3. Link Your Work to the Strategy ↳How: Explicitly connect your current projects and initiatives with the broader business strategy. When communicating about your work, balance the focus between immediate outcomes and future implications. ↳Why: This showcases your long-term thinking and impact, beyond what is being delivered in the near-term. 4. Scale your Work ↳How: Identify ways to expand the impact of your work, either horizontally across different areas of the business or vertically by adding more value to functions you already serve. ↳Why: Scaling your work demonstrates a strategic mindset that thinks beyond the immediate scope. 5. Propose New Opportunities ↳How: Put forward new ideas for the organization, regardless if they may be immediately pursued or not. ↳Why: This shows initiative and a strategic approach to business growth. 6. Expose Your Thought Process ↳How: When in meetings or preparing documents, go beyond presenting results. Articulate the thinking behind your decisions and actions. ↳Why: This helps showcase your strategic thinking to others. 7. Communicate at the Right Altitude ↳How: Tailor your communication to your audience, especially when dealing with senior leaders. Start with the main message ('the punchline') and the first level of detail. ↳Why: This approach ensures that your communication is concise, focused and effective in strategically aligning with the interests and concerns of your audience. PS: Strategic thinking requires mental space, create time for it in your schedule. ----- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

❌️ Product Design is lot more than mere knowledge of multiple cad tools🔧 ↪️ Product Designing is - "your ability to transform raw VOC into functionally working and regulatory compliant product" -- 🚘 CAD tools surely help us design faster and efficiently, but they can't replace our innovation and analytical problem solving ability. 💪 If you want to become successful mechanical design engineer (by work and not just by title), then you need to do paradigm shift - "Start looking beyond cad tools" -- 🔋 Skills which can take you there are: + Manufacturing Process Knowledge and Design: Plastic, Sheetmetal, Casting, Forging, Machining and Joining + NPD and NPI Process + DFMEA and DVP + GD&T (Drawings) + Engineering Fits + Tolerance Stackup + DFX - DFMA, DFC, DFS, DFR + Material Selection + PPAP + ISO and IATF 16949 + Value Engineering (VAVE) + RCA and Problem Solving + Innovation Skills + Design Project Management + Communication Skills -- These powerful skills on your Resume can boost your ability to grow and earn lot more salary 🙌 -- Question for you: 🤔 Are you ready to tackle next level roles and responsibilities in your mechanical design career? -- 🙌 P.S. If you aspire to add these skills on Resume and grow your salary upto your potential, see comments to seek help. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ --

The more I engage with experienced engineers at Microsoft, the more I notice some common traits that really set them apart: 🔹 Strong Technical Instincts – They can quickly gauge whether an idea is feasible, drawing from past experience to anticipate risks before they arise. 🔹 Exceptional Prioritization Skills – They manage multiple tasks seamlessly, knowing what needs immediate attention and what can wait. 🔹 Big-Picture Thinking – Instead of just tackling the problem at hand, they consider how their solutions align with long-term goals and broader business objectives. 🔹 Quick & Practical Estimations – Those rough mental calculations we often discuss in interviews? They do them effortlessly, ensuring realistic planning and execution. 🔹 Decisive Under Uncertainty – Even with incomplete information, they make well-reasoned decisions, balancing trade-offs effectively to keep things moving. Observing these qualities in action is both inspiring and a learning experience. Beyond technical expertise, it’s their ability to think strategically, adapt, and lead that makes them invaluable. What other traits have you noticed in senior engineers that set them apart?

After 3 panel interviews, she was exhausted – and confused. The feedback? 👉 “You didn’t show strategic thinking.” But here’s the thing: - She did talk about her achievements. - She did outline her results. - She did lead teams and manage budgets. So what was missing? Let’s break it down: 🎯 Strategic thinking isn’t just about what you did. It’s about how you see the big picture-and how you influence it. Here’s what senior interviewers are actually listening for: 🧠 1. Can you connect the dots between actions and business impact? ❌ “We improved process efficiency by 15%.” ✅ “That 15% increase shaved $1.2M off operational costs-freeing up budget for product innovation.” 💡 2. Do you think beyond your function or team? ❌ “I led the sales team to exceed quota.” ✅ “We partnered with Product and RevOps to align messaging-this cross-functional approach helped us surpass ARR targets by 18%.” 🔍 3. Are you proactive about solving future problems? ❌ “We reacted quickly to client churn.” ✅ “We launched a client risk model using churn indicators-cut attrition by 30% in two quarters.” Strategic thinking = → Systems-level awareness → Cross-functional alignment → Clear business outcomes → Forward-looking insight And most importantly? You need to say it out loud. No one can read your mind in an interview. 📣 Senior interviews aren’t about repeating your resume. They’re about showing you can lead with vision. ✅ Follow me for daily tips on interviewing, personal branding, and landing your next senior role with confidence.

If your junior ML engineers are burning out, it's not because: ↳ They're not cut out for AI. ↳ They lack "grit". ↳ They need another Udemy course. It's because they're overwhelmed by complexity, without the clarity of fundamentals. And when people don't understand the math behind what they're building, they become code robots. They lose confidence. They avoid asking “why” and settle for “whatever works.” They copy the model. They tweak the parameters. They cross their fingers and hit "Train". But when the metrics don't improve, they're stuck. Not because they're slow learners. Because they were never taught to think like engineers. If you teach them 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐠𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚, they start seeing models as geometric transformations, not just tensor shapes. If you teach them 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐬, they understand how gradients shape, not just how optimizers magically “work.” If you teach them 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, they begin to model uncertainty, not just accuracy. If you teach them 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬, they can interpret results, detect noise, and explain why something works, not just that it does. Once they grasp these, they don't just build models, they design systems. They don't just train, they tune with intention. They stop chasing libraries and start solving problems. As mentors and leaders, we owe it to them: ✅ Make math less intimidating and more practical. ✅ Replace endless tools with deep understanding. ✅ Normalize debugging both the code and the logic behind it. Because when they understand the "why", They grow from coders into engineers. ♻️ Repost to help your network. ☝️ And follow Terezija Semenski, MSc for more.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀. And as a Recruiter, I see those margins up close. Sometimes uncomfortably close. Most rejections are not because someone was bad. They happen because someone else was slightly better. 👓 A clearer example. 🔪 A sharper story. 💪 A stronger link to the business. 🙌 A touch more confidence. 🤝 A more decisive close. Tiny differences. Huge outcomes. And the funny part is that most people do not know where they are losing ground. Here is what genuinely creates the edge: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 If you rely on one project throughout the interview, you limit your entire profile. The Hiring Manager wants range. Have four or five examples ready that show leadership, delivery, conflict handling, problem solving, ambiguity and real impact. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Nothing creates confidence like context. Know what they sell, who their customers are, what challenges they face and where they are aiming. Candidates who show understanding beat candidates who simply want a job. 𝟯. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Hiring Managers want people who step forward. Use language that reflects accountability. “I owned…”, “I led…”, “I was accountable for…” These hit very differently compared to “I helped…” or “I supported…”. 𝟰. 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 A lot of people give great answers to the wrong thing. Slow down. Make the core point. Clear and concise always wins. 𝟱. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 Instead of “What is the culture like”, try: “What does success look like in the first 90 days” or “What problem does this role need to solve that currently has no owner”. That level of curiosity is memorable. 𝟲. 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 Most candidates never close. A simple line like: “I am really excited about the role and I can already see where I would add value. What are the next steps” can genuinely tilt a close call in your favour. Here is the recruiter truth people never want to admit: When it is close, the person with clarity, confidence and context usually wins. Not the loudest. Not the one with the flashiest CV. Just the one who prepared with intent. Fine margins. Big difference. If you are interviewing right now, focus on improving these margins. They are often what decides the outcome. And if you want help sharpening yours, you know where I am. Maverick Otter has a few spaces for 1:1 coaching clients until 2026 for interview training, personal branding coaching, CV/Resume Writing and LinkedIn Strategy/Optimisation.

Most entry-level Product Design Engineers, including me in my early days, focus too much on CAD skills and not enough on real-world problem solving. I’ve seen clean, beautiful models that completely fail in thermal performance, manufacturability, or cost-efficiency. 🚘 CAD tools surely help us design faster and efficiently, but they can't replace our innovation and analytical problem-solving ability. 💪 If you want to become successful mechanical design engineer (by work and not just by title), then you need to do paradigm shift - "Start looking beyond cad tools" If you want to grow in this field, focus on things like: • How a product behaves under load • Why certain materials are chosen • How manufacturing limits your design • How to simplify a mechanism without losing function • How to think from the user’s point of view • How to make a design safe, reliable and easy to produce After just 5 yrs in the field with different, one thing is clear to me: The best engineers don’t just design, they think like manufacturers, vendors, and end-users. That’s the mindset I’m working on building every single day. Not perfect yet—but getting better with each project. CAD can make a model look perfect, but only your understanding can make the product actually work. Look beyond the screen. Learn how things fail, how they’re assembled, and how they’re used. That’s where real design ability grows. If you invest in these fundamentals now, CAD will only make you faster. But you're thinking will make you valuable. Agree or disagree? Let’s have a real talk in the comments. 👍👍🏆🏅 #ProductDesign #MechanicalEngineering #DesignMindset #EngineeringGrowth #CADvsDFM #linkdin #engineers #jobs #ProductDesign #DesignEngineering #MechanicalEngineering #CADDesign #EngineeringJourney #EngineeringStudents #YoungEngineers #EngineeringGrowth #DesignThinking #RealWorldEngineering #ProblemSolvingSkills #ManufacturingDesign #EngineeringLife #MechanicalDesignEngineer #ProductDevelopment #EngineeringCareers #FutureEngineers #SolidWorks #AutoCAD #CATIA #NXDesign #CreoDesign #EngineeringMotivation #CareerAdvice #EngineeringCommunity #LearnEngineering #EngineeringMindset #DesignSkills #EngineeringInspiration #EngineeringPrinciples #EngineeringBasics #DesignEngineerLife #EngineeringInnovation #TechnicalSkills #EngineersOfIndia #EngineeringLearning #DesignProcess #ThinkBeyondCAD #BeyondCAD #EngineeringWorld #IndustryReady #CoreEngineering #DesignForManufacturing #FiniteElementAnalysis #MaterialScience #MechanismDesign #EngineeringConcepts

As an interior designer, design is not only a creative space, but also a language that conveys emotions and lifestyle. Every detail carries warmth and beauty. I always believe that good design should not only meet functional needs, but also make people feel the warmth and comfort of home. From color matching to material selection, every step comes from the observation and love of life. Every space has its own unique story, and I hope to help every owner find his or her own story and happiness through design. Design is not about pursuing luxury, but about creating an environment that makes people feel relaxed and happy. This is my understanding of interior design.

🔐 Key Process Variables in Instrumentation and Their Engineering Principles In industrial processes, accurate monitoring and control of process variables are essential for safety, efficiency, and product quality. Instrumentation allows engineers to turn complex processes into predictable, controllable systems. The four major process variables are pressure, temperature, flow, and level, while other variables like pH, conductivity, humidity, and viscosity also play critical roles. 🧯Pressure Pressure is the force exerted per unit area. Maintaining proper pressure ensures safe and efficient operation of equipment such as reactors, compressors, and pipelines. Engineering Principle: Based on Pascal’s Law, which states that pressure applied at one point in a fluid is transmitted uniformly throughout the fluid. Instruments: Pressure gauges, transducers, and transmitters allow real-time monitoring and process stability. 🌡️ Temperature Temperature measures the heat energy within a system. It is critical for chemical reactions and physical processes that are highly sensitive to heat. Engineering Principles: Governed by the First Law of Thermodynamics (energy conservation) and heat transfer principles (conduction, convection, radiation). Instruments: Thermocouples, RTDs, and thermometers allow precise temperature control, optimizing reaction rates and energy efficiency. 🧨Flow Flow represents the rate of movement of a fluid through a system. Proper flow control ensures material balance, reaction stoichiometry, and energy efficiency. Engineering Principles: Based on the continuity equation (mass conservation) and Bernoulli’s principle (relationship between pressure, velocity, and potential energy). Instruments: Flow meters and sensors regulate process streams in chemical reactors, pipelines, and cooling systems. 🗜️Level Level measures the height of liquid in a vessel or container. Correct level control prevents overfilling, pump dry-running, and ensures continuous operation. Engineering Principles: Related to hydrostatic pressure and Archimedes’ principle, which describe liquid pressure and buoyancy. Instruments: Level sensors and transmitters provide accurate, automated monitoring for tanks, silos, and separators. 🪜Conclusion: Understanding and accurately measuring process variables, along with their engineering principles and formulas, is critical for operational reliability, safety, and efficiency. Proper instrumentation ensures industrial processes are controlled, predictable, and optimized. #Instrumentation #ProcessEngineering #ChemicalEngineering #ProcessControl #IndustrialAutomation #EngineeringPrinciples #Thermodynamics #FluidMechanics #HeatTransfer #STEM #EngineeringMindse

From Fresh Grad to Industry-Ready Engineer – Your Roadmap Here’s a structured roadmap to help you build a solid technical foundation and become a valuable engineer on-site. This is based on real industry challenges and what employers expect from competent engineers. 1. Material Selection & Corrosion Learn API 571 & NACE MR0175 Analyze real corrosion failure case studies Participate in material inspections 2. Pressure Vessel Design (ASME VIII-1) Study design principles, load conditions, and nozzle designs Compare real plant applications Join vessel design reviews 3. Welding & Fabrication Learn WPS/PQR requirements Understand common welding defects Participate in a welding inspection 4. Heat Exchangers & Fouling Issues Study heat exchanger principles Analyze efficiency problems & fouling data Participate in inspections 5. Storage Tank Design & Inspection Learn API 650 & 653 Analyze tank integrity reports Join a storage tank inspection 6. Fitness-for-Service (API 579) Understand FFS Level 1 & 2 assessments Review past failures & conduct a case study 7. Safety & Protection Systems Study relief valves & safety requirements Analyze real safety system failures 8. Pressure Vessel Internals Study internals like trays, demisters, and supports Analyze failure modes in real equipment This roadmap lets you; ✅ Focuses on key equipment & challenges - Industry Relevant ✅ Combines standards with real-world case studies - Practical Learning ✅ Builds skills progressively - Step by Step Growth If you’re a fresh engineer and want to develop real technical competency, this plan is your guide. #Engineering #OilAndGas #Refinery #MechanicalEngineering #Corrosion #PressureVessels #Piping #NDT #Reliability #FreshEngineers #TechnicalRoadmap #CareerGrowth